Yes to the Earth
So radiant in certain mornings’ light
With its roses and its cypress trees
Is Earth, or with its grain and olives;
So suddenly it is radiant on the soul,
Which stands then alone and forgetful
Though just a moment earlier the soul
Wept bloody tears or dwelt in bitterness;
So radiant in certain mornings’ light
Is Earth, and in its silence so expressive,
This wondrous lump rolling in its skies;
Beautiful, tragic in solitude, yet smiling,
That the soul, unasked, replies
“Yes” replies, “Yes” to the Earth,
To the indifferent Earth, “Yes!”,
Even though next instant skies
Should darken, roses too, and cypresses,
Or the effort of life grow heavier still,
The act of breathing even more heroic,
“Yes” replies the battered soul to Earth,
So radiant in the light of certain mornings
Beautiful above all things, and human hope.
by
Sibilla Aleramo, (Italian), 1876-1960.
